Last week during the Jan. 6 closing of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV used a new papal staff, or ferula, which is used by pontiffs in solemn ceremonies and represents their leadership as bishop of Rome and supreme pastor of the entire Church.

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday opened a new phase of his pontificate by gathering the world’s cardinals to Rome and indicating some reform-minded priorities by calling the modernizing teachings of the Second Vatican Council the “guiding star” of the church.

In his most explicitly pro-life speech to date, Pope Leo demands an end to abortion and surrogacy globally. Editor's Note: Pope Leo XIV offered his 'State of the World' speech on Jan. 9, 2026. Please read the full transcript below.

With Pope Leo closing the Holy Door on Jan. 6, marking the end of the Jubilee, a new era in his young pontificate has begun.

The closed-door meeting comes as Leo inherits a deeply divided church and seeks to set the tone for his papacy by emphasizing unity, shared responsibility and evangelization rooted in listening.

Pope Leo met on Thursday with the world's Catholic cardinals as part of a two-day summit, urging the senior clerics to shun divisions in the 1.4-billion-member Church and focus on attracting new believers.

As of now, there are only speculations and rumors, particularly in the Italian media, about what’s on the agenda.

Pope Leo XIV's statement comes a day after the United States conducted an early morning strike and captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Pope Leo plans to visit Angola as part of a multi-nation trip across Africa, the Vatican's ambassador to the country announced on Tuesday, in what could be the pontiff's first overseas trip in 2026.